Device for throwing missiles such as hand grenades



J. W. CLARK June 12, 1945.

DEVICE FOR THROWING MISSILES SUCH AS HAND GRENADES Filed Jan. 4, 1943 INVENTOR' JAMES w. CLARK ATTORNEYS Patented June 12, 1945 DEVICE FOR THROWING MISSILES SUCH AS HAND GRENADES James W. Clark, Monmouth, Ill. Application January 4,1943, Serial No. 471,296

8 Claims.

, This invention concerns itself with devices for throwing missiles such as balls, bombs or grenades of the type previously thrown by hand.

The device of the invention has many possible applications, such as the playing of games utilizing balls and targets as well as the throwing of bombs, grenades, mines, etc. in warfare.

The most important practical application of the invention at the present time is to throw hand grenades, and for this reason the device will be described as a grenade thrower. However, it is to be understood that I am not to be limited to this use.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a device to greatly increase the range,

accuracy andeifectiveness of throwing missiles such as hand grenades.

Another object is to provide a grenade throwing device, which is of light, simple and very rugged construction, which can be manufactured at low cost from readily obtainable materials, and which is both weatherproof and mudproof.

Another object is to provide a grenade thrower, which can be used by persons having comparatively little training and practice as well as by persons skilled in throwing grenades by hand,

and which can be used against both horizontal and vertical targets from standing, kneeling, prone or supine position.

Another object is to provide a device of the foregoing type, which can be used for its intended purpose with a minimum amount of danger to the user.

A further object'is to provide a device capable of throwing a heavier grenade than the type usually thrown by hand.

Still another objectis to provide a device for throwing grenades, which can be easily adjusted to receive grenades differing considerably in size.

Briefly stated, the device of the invention comprises a handle provided at one of its ends with a fixed jaw and a movable jaw, a spring normally pressing the movable jaw away from the fixed jaw, a latch mechanism for holding said movable jaw in fixed position against the force of the spring, whereby the two jaws are adapted to hold a missile between them, and a trigger mechanism for releasing the latch mechanism, thereby causing the movable jaw to move away from the fixed jaw and releasing the missile.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention,

the handle of the device is hollow so as to encase ton mounted at a convenient position on the handle.

Referring briefly to the drawing, wherein is shown an illustrative embodiment of the invention:

Figure l is a, perspective view of the illustrative embodiment of grenade thrower, part of the handle being broken away, and a grenade of the standard type beingshown held between the jaws;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the standard type of fragmentation hand grenades; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along ,line 3-3 of Figure 1, showing the movable jaw in both the closed and open positions, and showing the grenade as it is held between the jaws as well as it is being projected from the device When the spring is released.

Referring now in greater detail to Figures 1 and 3, it will be seen that the grenade throwing device is denoted generally by the reference numeral l, and is provided with a handle 2 of suitable form and size. The handle may advantageously be from 2 /2 to 3 feet in length, and in order that it may be conveniently grasped in the hands, it may be about 2 /2 inches wide and 1% inches in thickness. The handle is shown as being of hollow, rectangular form, and the lower end thereof may advantageously be provided with a knobv 3 for a purpose, which will be pointed out later. The handle is provided at its upper end 4 with the fixed jaw 5 and the movable jaw 6.

The fixed jaw 5 may be permanently secured to the rear of the handle, but in order to adapt the device for holding grenades, of different sizes, the fixed jaw is attached to the handle by means of ratchet or expansion lugs l and 8. As shown, the lug I is fixed to the rear of the handle near the top, and the lug 8 is fixed to the rear of the jaw 5. The upper lug 8 is provided with an elongated slotted hole 9, and one or two set screws I!) are provided as shown to secure the two lugs together at any desired position within their range of movement. To change the relative adjustment of the two jaws, the set screws H! are loosened, the upper jaw 5 and its attached, lug 8 are moved to a desired position, and the set screws are again tightened. I

As illustrated, the movable jaw 6 is hinged to the top of the handle at the front, the hinge being indicated by ll. Coiled about the hinge are the springs l2 and I3, having lower ends M and 15' and upper ends l6 and H. The lower ends of the springs are secured to the front upper portion of the handle in a suitable manner as at [8.

The upper ends of the springs are secured to the jaw 6 in a suitable manner, as by being sprung into a slotted portion 18a struck out or extruded from the jaw 6. The springs l2 and I3 are wound so as normally to press the movable jaw 6 away from the fixed jaw 5, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. Two springs are employed in order that the pressure against the jaw will be uniform along its width. Lugs l9 and are provided on the front of the movable jaw and; cooperating lugs 2| and 22 are provided on the handle to limit the movement of the movable jaw.

The hinge II, by means of which the movable jaw 6 is pivoted to the upper end of the handle. 2, is formed with a finger or' detent 23, which ex-' tends into the hollow handle and cooperates with a slidable latch 24 to hold the movable jaw in a vertical position against the normal pressure of the springs. The latch 24 is guided in its movement by two straps 25 and 26 and is urged toward the upper end of the handle by means of a spring 21. The latch is connected by means of a rod or wire 28 and. a bell crank lever 29 to a push button or trigger release 3|. The bell crank lever is fulcrumed in the handle 2 at 30 as shown. The

' area of the handle about the button or release may be advantageously recessed as indicated by the numeral 32. A protective or safety cover 33 for the push button may be provided, if considered necessary or desirable. The cover may advantageously be mounted on the handle for slidable movement between guides 34 and 35.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the push button or trigger release 3| is shown as being positioned on the front of thehandle close to the bottom. This renders it possible to actuate the trigger mechanism by pressing a finger of either hand while holding the handle at its lower end with either one or two hands. However, I am not precluded from placing the push button higher up on the handle, or on the rear of the handle instead of on the front.

It'will be understood from the foregoing description that when the two jaws 5 and 6 are pressed together as shown in Figures 1 and 3, they are adapted to hold an article such as a hand grenade between them. The juxtaposed edges of the jaws are preferably provided with the complementary portions 36' and 31 of an aperture to permit the pull ring of the grenade to extend to the outside of' the device", so that the safety pin may be readily pulled out. The aperture may advantageously be provided on both sides of the device, so that it is immaterial whether the grenade is placed between the jaws with the ring disposed to one or the other side of the device.

In Figure 2 is shown the standard type of fragmentation hand grenade used by the United States Army with which the device of the invention is particularly adapted to' be used. The body of this grenade G is made of cast iron and is about the size of a large lemon. The outside surface is deeply serrated horizontally and vertically to assist in forming uniformf fragments when the bomb explodes. For convenience of reference, the parts of the grenade are. designated as follows: B, base or lower end; F, the upper or fuse end; P, the safety pin; R, the ring for pulling out. the safety pin; and L, the safety lever. For a, more complete description of this type of hand grenade, reference is hereby made to Basic Field Manual of the War Department, FM 23-30, entitled,I-Iand Grenades, published 1940-. V

In Figure 3, I have shown how the device of the invention may be used with the standard type of hand grenade. The first act, of course, is to place the grenade between the jaws. The jaws are opened by pressing the push button 3! the grenade is seated on the top end of the handle between the jaws with its base B disposed upwardly, with the safety lever L pressing against the rear or fixed jaw 5 and with the pull ring R extending through the aperture 36-31. Then the pivoted jaw is closed by pushing it toward the fixed jaw 5 until the finger or detent 23 is caught by the latch 24. The safety pin P may then be removed by-means of the ring R. To throw the grenade, the handle may be held in either hand or in both hands, depending upon the technique which is ofiicially adopted and the conformation of the individual soldier. As the device is swung toward the target, the push button 3| is pressed by a finger, preferably the forefinger, thereby pulling the latch 24 downwardly and in turn releasing the detent or finger 23 and causing the jaw 6 to fiy open, releasing the grenade from the device, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3. The cooperating lugs I9, 20 and 2|, 22 serve the purpose of limiting the forward movement of the hinged jaw 6. These lugs may, if desired, be omitted, in which case this function will be served by the detent or finger 23 coming in contact with the top of the handle. The purpose of the knob 3 is to prevent the handle from slipping in the hands of the operator as the grenade is thrown.

By reason of the adjustable mounting of the fixed jaw 5, the distance between the jaws may be either increased or decreased to hold grenades or bombs of diiferent sizes. The device may,

. therefore, be used to hurl larger size bombs such derstood as imposing limitations on the invention, except such as are specifically indicated in the appended claims or imposed by the prior art.

This application is a continuation in part of application Serial No. 453,577 filed August 4, 1942.

I claim:

1. A device for throwing missiles such as hand grenades, said device comprising a handle provided at one of its ends with a fixed jaw and a movable jaw, a spring normally pressing said movable jaw away fromsaid fixed jaw, a latch mechanism for holding said movable jaw in fixed position against the force of said spring, whereby said two jaws are adapted to hold a missile between them, and a trigger mechanism for releasin'g said latch mechanism, thereby causing said movable jaw to move away from said fixed jaw and releasing said missile.

2.. A device for throwing missiles such as hand grenades, said. device comprising a handle provided at one of its ends with a fixed jaw and a. movable jaw, a spring normally pressing said movable jaw away from said fixed jaw, a latch mechanism for holding said movable jaw in fixed position: against the force of said spring, whereby said two: jaws are adapted to hold a missile between them, a trigger mechanism for releasing said latch mechanism, thereby causing said movable iawto move away from said: fixed jaw and releasing said missile, and means for adjusting the distance between said jaws whereby the device is adapted to receive missiles of different sizes.

3. A device for throwing missiles such as hand grenades, said device comprising-a handle provided at one end with two parallel jaws, one of said jaws being pivoted to said handle for movement toward and away from said other jaw, a spring normally urging the pivoted jaw away from said other jaw, means for holding the pivoted jaw in fixed position against the force of the spring, whereby the two jaws are adapted to hold a missile between them, and means for rendering said holding means inoperative, thereby causing said pivoted jaw to move away from said other jaw and releasing said missile.

4. A device for throwing missiles such as hand grenades, said device comprising a handle pro-' vided at one end with two opposed jaws, one of said jaws being pivoted to said handle for movement toward and away from said other jaw, a

by the device is adapted to receive missiles of difierent sizes.

5. A device for throwing missiles such as hand grenades, said device comprising a hollow handle provided with two opposed jaws, one of which is fixed at one end of said handle and the other one of which is pivoted to said end, a spring normally urging said pivoted jaw away from said fixed jaw, a detent secured to said pivoted jaw and extending into the hollow of said handle, a latch mounted for slidable movement within the hollow of said handle, and cooperating with said detent to hold said pivoted jaw in fixed position against the force of said spring, whereby said two jaws are adapted to hold a missile between them, a release for said latch mounted in said handle and operative connections between said release and said latch.

6. The device defined in claim 5, means being provided for adjusting the position of said fixed jaw in reference to said pivoted jaw.

7. The device defined in claim 5, means being provided for adjusting the position of said fixed jaw in reference to said pivoted jaw, said means comprising cooperating ratchet'lugs secured to both the handle and the fixed jaw, and means for securing said ratchet lugs together.

8. The device defined in claim 5, means being provided to limit the movement of the pivoted jaw away from the fixed jaw.

JAMES W. CLARK. 

